[Music]
Happy Monday. Good evening. This 16th
regular meeting of the 74th term of the
Baltimore City Council is now called to
order. Tonight's invitation will be
provided by the Reverend Dr. Walter L.
Parish of Northside Baptist Church.
Reverend Parish, the floor is yours.
» Thank you. And thank you to Councilman
Conway for this honor. Let us pray.
Thou in whose image
and whose likeness we have been made, we
acknowledge with gratitude
the gift of this day. Even as seasons
change, we are aed by and grateful for
the consistency of your presence.
We ask as we gather that you would allow
the people who make up this council and
those who are in attendance to feel your
presence and your proddding as we all
work to make our city a more just and
humane place. We ask that you would
order today's proceedings so that those
who are seeking resolution to problems
will find resolution.
We ask that you would provide measures
of relief for those who are struggling
just to make it from one day to the
next. We ask that these servants of the
people would be endowed with wisdom and
possess an intolerance of mediocrity
that will allow them to do all they can
this day for the least of these.
We ask that we would be emancipated from
any loyalty to agendas that would divide
us but be set free to work for the good
of all. We ask that you give our
leaders, our council president, and
every member of this council under the
sound of my voice a renewed
determination to not be distracted or
discouraged. We ask that our city from
the youngest to the oldest, from the
richest to the poorest, from the best
connected to the least connected, be
greater than the individual communities
from which we come, and that we might
know your guidance, making us one brave
and beloved city and community. We ask
this in the name of all that is holy.
Amen.
» Amen. Thank you, Reverend Parish.
Before turning it over to Councilman
Blanchard for the pledge of allegiance,
I do want to recognize the folks from
leadership that have joined us. Thank
you for being here as well as the AFL
CIO as well as every other guest in the
chamber. Thank you for joining us
tonight.
All right, with that, Council Member
Blanchard will now lead us in the pledge
of allegiance. Councilman.
» I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
» Thank you. The clerk will now call the
role of the members.
» Parker
» Here.
» McCrae.
» Dorsy,
» Yes.
» Conway
» Here. Schlifer
» Middleton
» Torrance
» Gray
» Bullock
» Porter
» Blanchard
» Jones
» Glover
» Ramos
» Yeah here
» Cohen
» Here.
» Mr. President, we have a quorum with VP
Middleton absent.
» Thank you, Madame Clerk. We will now
proceed with the adoption of the
journals.
» Mr. President, the journals for the
September 29th meeting proceedings are
in members inboxes in the dust documents
folder.
» Without objection, the journals will be
adopted.
» Hearing none, the journals are adopted.
Now we move on to executive nominations.
Madame clerk,
» EA25-0064,
Timothy Keane, Director, Department of
Planning.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
» EA25-0065
Elijah Davis Jr., Member Trauma Informed
Care Task Force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on investigate on legislative
investigations.
» EA25-0066
Dr. Kevin Daniels member trauma-informed
care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
» EA25-0067
Dr. Melissa Buckley, member,
trauma-informed care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
EA25-0068
Terresa Bruce, member, trauma-informed
care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
» EA25-0069
Molly Young, member, trauma-informed
care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
» EA25-0070.
Corey Witherspoon, member,
trauma-informed care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
EA25-000071
Angie Winder, member, trauma-informed
care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
» EA25-0072
Farha Wahed, member trauma-informed care
task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
» EA25-0073
Tika Torres, member trauma-informed care
task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
EA25-000074
Jasmine Pope Member Trauma Informed Care
Task Force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
Committee on Legislative Investigations.
» EA25-000075
Dr. Tanya Nichols, Member Trauma
Informed Care Task Force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
Committee on Legislative Investigations.
» EA25-0076
DA Johnson, Member Trauma Informed Care
Task Force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
Committee on Legislative Investigations.
EA25-000077
Robert Holmes member trauma-informed
care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
» EA25-000078
Dr. Panagus Scalia member
trauma-informed care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
» EA25-0079
Dr. Andrew Gatus member trauma-informed
care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
EA25-080
Jessica Font Laoy Member Trauma Informed
Care Task Force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
Committee on Legislative Investigations.
» EA25-000081
Tia Dun Johnson member trauma-informed
care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
» EA25-0082
Karen Dehoff, member trauma-informed
care task force.
» This nomination has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
And I promise for those joining us for
the first time, it will be less
repetitive from here on out.
» Now we move on to bills being
introduced. Madame clerked,
» City council bill 25-0102,
Charles Village Community Benefits
District and Management Authority, for
the purpose of renewing and continuing
the Char Charles Village Community
Benefits District and Management
Authority, providing for a special
effective date and generally relating to
the activities and authority of the
Charles Village Community Benefits
District and Management Authority. Lead
sponsor Ramos Jones, co-sponsor Parker.
» Chair recognizes council member Ramos.
» Uh, thank you, Mr. President, and thank
you, colleagues. This is the required uh
reauthorization of the Charles Village
Community Benefits District. This has to
happen every four years uh for the
public to be able to have a hearing
about what's happening in the um
benefits district, but also for us to
celebrate the successes the benefits
district uh Charles Village benefits
district was the very first benefits
district, community benefits district in
Baltimore City. uh and I'm grateful to
be have been involved from the very
beginning uh of this of their work and
they're designed to all benefits
districts are designed to create to
allow for more uh safety and cleanliness
in that community and they are asset the
property owners are assessed a special
tax in order to pay for that. So this
reauthorization is extremely important
to continue uh the conversation around
uh the the um performance of the
organization but also the fact that we
do still need these organizations um in
these uh communities. So excited to work
with my colleague uh on this bill and
look forward to the next steps. Thank
you, Mr. President.
» Thank you, Council Member Ramos.
This bill has been assigned to the
Councilman Jones. Do you want to speak
to this bill as well or are you good?
» Okay. This bill has been assigned to the
housing and economic development
committee. City Council Bill 25-0103
zoning conditional use conversion of a
single family dwelling unit to three
dwelling units in the R8 zoning district
1224 West Lafayette Avenue for the
purpose of permitting subject to certain
conditions the conversion of a single
family dwelling unit into three dwelling
units on the property known as 1224 West
Lafayette Avenue block 0078 lot 005 as
outlined in red on the accompanying plat
and providing for a special effective
date lead sponsor Bulock
This bill has been assigned to the land
use and transportation committee.
» City Council Bill 25-0104,
sale of property 2405 Lynen Avenue for
the purpose of authorizing the mayor and
city council of Baltimore to sell either
at public or private sale all its
interest in certain property located at
2405 Lynen Avenue, block 3463A,
lot 008A, and no longer needed for
public use and providing for a special
effective date. Lead sponsor council
president on behalf of the office of the
comp patroller.
» This bill has been assigned to the land
use and transportation committee. City
Council Bill 25-0105
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation Baltimore City Public
Schools 12,911,344
the purpose of providing a supplementary
general fund operating appropriation in
the amount of 12,911,344
to Baltimore City Public Schools Service
352 Baltimore City Public Schools to
provide funding for a deficit caused by
the city's contribution to the
development agreement for City Springs
Elementary Middle School and providing
ing for a special effective date. Lead
sponsor, council president. On behalf of
the administration,
» This bill has been assigned to the
budget and appropriations committee.
City Council Bill 25-0106
Supplementary General Fund Operating
Appropriation Fire Department 38,520,93
for the purpose of providing a
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation in the amount of $
38,520,93
to the Fire Department Service 62, Fire
Suppression and Emergency Rescue, to
provide funding to balance the fire
department's fiscal year 2025 budget to
cover a deficit caused by overtime.
time, staffing costs, and contractual
EMS services, and providing for a
special effective date. Lead sponsor,
city council president, on behalf of the
administration.
» This bill has been assigned to the
budget and appropriations committee.
City Council Bill 25-0107,
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation, Department of Law,
$81,393,
for the purpose of providing a
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation in the amount of $81,393
to the Department of Law Service862
transactions to provide funding to
balance the Department of Law's fiscal
year 2025 budget to cover a deficit
caused by contractual spending and
providing for a special effective date.
Council present on behalf of the
administration.
» This bill has been assigned to the
budget and appropriations committee.
City Council Bill 25-0108,
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation, liquor license board,
$454,415
for the purpose of providing a
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation the amount of $454,415
to the liquor license board service 851
liquor license compliance to provide
funding to balance the liquor license
board's fiscal 2025 budget for a deficit
caused by office lease costs, use of
privately leased vehicle, less and
overtime and providing for a special
effective date. Lead sponsor, council
president, on behalf of the
administration.
» This bill has been assigned to the
budget and appropriations committee.
City Council Bill 25-0109,
supplementary special grant fund
operating appropriation, Mayor's Office
of Employment Development, $300,000. for
the purpose of providing a supplementary
special grant fund operating
appropriation in the amount of $300 to
the mayor's office of employment
development service 795 workforce
services for Baltimore residents to
provide funding to support the creation
of recovery friendly workplaces and care
navigators and providing for a special
effective date lead sponsor city council
president on behalf of the
administration
» This bill has been assigned to the
budget and appropriations committee
» City council bill 25-0110
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation Police Department
47,492,889
for the purpose of providing a
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation the amount of 47,492,889
to the police department service 622
police patrol to provide funding to
balance the police department's fiscal
year 2025 budget for a deficit caused by
overtime and staffing costs and
providing for a special effective date.
Lead sponsor, council president. On
behalf of the administration,
» This bill has been assigned to the
budget and appropriations committee.
» City Council Bill 25-0000111,
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation, Department of Recreation
and Parks, 5,630,976.
for the purpose of providing a
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation the amount of 5,630,976
to the Department of Recreation and
Parks Service 654 Urban Forestry to
provide funding to balance the
Department of Recreation and Parks
fiscal year 2025 budget for a deficit
caused by overtime and unbudgeted
contractual costs and providing for a
special effective date. Lead sponsor
council president on behalf of the
administration. This bill has been
assigned to the budget and
appropriations committee. City Council
Bill 25-0112,
Supplementary General Fund Operating
Appropriation, Sheriff's Office,
3,425,454,
for the purpose of providing a
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation in the amount of
$3,425,454
to the Sheriff's Office Service 882,
Deputy Sheriff Enforcement, to provide
funding to balance the sheriff's office
budget for fiscal year 2025 for a
deficit caused by overtime, fleet costs,
and various contractual and supply
spending and providing for a special
effective date. Lead sponsor, council
president, on behalf of the
administration.
» This bill has been assigned to the
budget and appropriations committee.
City Council Bill 25-0113
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation department of
transportation 4,457,580
for the purpose of providing a
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation in the amount of $4,457580
to the Department of Transportation
Service 688 Snow and Ice Control to
provide funding to balance the
Department of Transportation's fiscal
year 2025 budget for a deficit caused by
snow removal costs and providing for
special effective date. Lead sponsor,
council president. On behalf of the
administration,
» This bill has been assigned to the
budget and appropriations committee. We
will now move on to resolutions of the
city council. Madame clerk,
» City council resolution 25-0034R
workers rights in Baltimore City for the
purpose of recognizing key rights of
workers across Baltimore City. Lead
sponsors Cohen Jones. Co-sponsors Parker
Dorsy, Conway, Schlifer, Gray, Bullock,
Porter, Blanchard, Ramos.
» Colleagues, in this moment of national
discord and division, the city council
and our partners in labor will make
Baltimore the best city in America for
working people. I thank Chairman Jones
and President Courtney Jenkins and the
members of the AFL CIO for their
partnership in this effort.
Baltimoreians deserve to know that when
they leave for work in the morning,
they'll come back home at night without
risking life and limb. And that holds
particularly true for our public
servants like our sanitation workers who
are out there every day cleaning up our
trash.
Baltimoreians deserve to know that their
wages will not be stolen, that they will
be paid on time, and that we will go
after the bad actors who take advantage
of vulnerable people. Baltimoreians
deserve to know that we are using our
precious tax dollars to support
responsible, upstanding contractors who
provide the best value for our money,
who don't incur constant cost overruns,
and who do not exploit their workers.
Baltimoreians deserve the right to
organize because we know that the only
thing better than a good job is a good
union job. And Baltimoreians deserve to
know that their city council is laser
focused on affordability.
Together, we're proving that we can be
pro business and proworker. In fact, you
can't have one without the other. And
we're proving that when we fight and
when we unite with working people, we
win. In the months ahead, we will unveil
a series of bills focused on making this
resolution a reality for workers in our
city. Before we vote, I want to turn the
mic over to our labor and workforce
chair, Councilman Germaine Jones. Folks,
do not mistake his quiet, easygoing
energy for timidity. The man is focused
and he is fierce. I could not ask for a
better partner to lead this effort.
Councilman Jones, the floor is yours.
» Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues,
today I rise to introduce this workers
rights resolution because the reality
for too many people in Baltimore is that
hard work is no longer enough to
survive. Every day across the city and
across the country, people are working
two, even three jobs just to keep up
with rent, groceries, and utilities. And
many still don't have access to basic
health care.
Too many parents are spending more time
trying to piece together income than
spending time raising their own
children. And when it comes to workplace
protection and dignity, it often feels
like we've moved backwards and not
forward.
A worker should not have to choose
between paying the bills and protecting
their health. They should not have to
sacrifice their bodies to the job or
gamble with safety because productivity
is valued over human life.
Baltimore's laws already say no one
should be forced to live below a minimum
standard of decent living.
And this resolution simply calls on us
to finally live up to that promise and
to say clearly that the people who carry
this city on their backs deserve more
than survival. They deserve stability.
They deserve respect. And they deserve
security.
This workers bill of rights is not
symbolic. It's a declaration that in
Baltimore, dignity for working people is
not negotiable.
So I urge my colleagues to stand with me
and to stand with working families who
keep Baltimore alive every single day.
Thank you, Mr. President.
I move to to suspend rules 3-7
for immediate adoption.
» Without objection, the rules will be
suspended.
The rules are suspended. Councilman.
» Thank you, Mr. President. I move that
the resolution be adopted. The clerk
will call the role.
» Parker,
» Yes.
» McCrae,
» Dorsey,
» Yes.
» Conway,
» Hi.
» Schlifer,
» Yes. Torrance. Hi
» Gray.
» Hi
» Bullock.
» Hi
» Porter.
» Hi
» Blanchard.
» Hi
» Jones.
» Hi
» Glover.
» Yes
» Ramos.
» Yes.
» Cohen
» I. The motion is approved. This
resolution has been adopted.
» City Council resolution
25-0035Rformational
hearing safekeeping and storage of
Baltimore City Wells. for the purpose of
inviting the register of wills, the
clerk of the circuit court for Baltimore
City, the chief judge of the circuit
court for Baltimore City, the director
of the department of general services,
and the city administrator to appear
before the city council to discuss the
current space allocated to store wills
in the Clarence J. Mitchell Jr.
courthouse, the lack of fire and flood
protection in said storage space, and
the need to digitize and protect the 100
years of wills being stored in a room in
the aging courthouse. Lead sponsor
Schlifer. co-sponsors Parker, Dorsy,
Conway, Gray, Bullock, Porter,
Blanchard, Jones, Ramos, Cohen.
» Chair recognizes Councilman Schlifer.
» Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, in a
recent stroll over to the courthouse and
looking through the different offices
there, came across a very interesting
one, the the register of the wills
office. Uh, and anybody who goes over
there, you'll find just walls covered
with um with wills. And each one of
these wills is an individual in
Baltimore's last will in testament. And
these wills both um delegate assets as
well as um reveal everything that that
deceased um has and who it should go to.
And without that um there's a lot of
issues that would come from that,
whether it be families fighting um and
other u related asset issues as well as
property related issues in the city. Um,
and we know that our courthouse is over
125 years old and properties uh like the
agent courthouse are prone to floods,
leaks, um, electrical fires and other
other related hazards. And god forbid
that should happen um, in our
courthouse, uh, 100 years worth of wills
and hundreds of thousands of people
would be impacted um, by such a
catastrophe. And so it's important that
that we as city leaders take immediate
action um both in the short term as well
as the long term. The long term
obviously being that uh these should not
be only on paper. They should all be
digit digitized and scanned. That's
pretty basic. But um on the short term
we need to protect the wills that are
there making sure they're in waterproof
as well as fireproof um storage u
containers essentially. And so we'll be
hosting uh this hearing um and I thank
all the co-sponsors um and I thank the
register of the wills and and everybody
else who will be participating in that
hearing. Thank you.
» Thank you, Councilman Schlifer. Uh this
resolution has been assigned to the
committee on legislative investigations.
Please note Councilman Torrance as
co-sponsor, Councilman Glover as well.
City Council Resolution 25-0036R,
Informational Hearing, Human Trafficking
Investigations and Prosecutions for the
purpose of inviting representatives from
the Baltimore City Office of the State's
Attorney, the Baltimore City Police
Department, the Baltimore City Fire
Department, the Baltimore City Public
School System Police, the Baltimore City
Sheriff's Office, the Baltimore City
Human Trafficking Collaborative
Co-chairs, and all subcommittee chairs,
the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
Homeland Security Investigation, the
Maryland State Police, the Maryland
United States Attorney's Office, the
Maryland Department of Social Services,
the Maryland Department of Juvenile
Services, the Hope Center, formerly
known as Baltimore Child Abuse Center,
Blue Dot, and other collaborators from
the Baltimore Human Trafficking
Collaborative, who provide victims of
human trafficking with emergency
interventions and support services to
brief the city council on the scope of
the human trafficking problem in
Baltimore City, current efforts to
investigate and prosecute perpetrators
of human trafficking, further strategies
that could be implemented to bring these
individuals to justice and resources
that are needed to assist survivors of
human trafficking. Lead sponsor Porter.
Co-sponsors Parker Gray, Bullock,
Blanchard, Jones, Ramos, Cohen.
» Chair recognizes Council Member Porter.
» Thank you, and I thank you to my
colleagues for your attention today.
Today, I'm introducing a resolution
calling for theformational hearing on
human trafficking investigations and
prosecutions in Baltimore City. This
hearing will bring together the many
members of the Baltimore City Human
Trafficking Collaborative and our law
enforcement, state, federal, nonprofit
partners to brief the council on the
scope of the problem, the progress has
that has been made, and the resources
needed to better protect our residents.
Human trafficking is one of the most
devastating crimes taking place in our
city and across Maryland. Our state's
central location with major highways,
ports, and transit systems makes
Baltimore particularly vulnerable as a
corridor for human traffickers. Victims
are often hidden in plain sight and they
are exploited, isolated, and silenced. I
also want to take a moment to recognize
former councilman, former Councilman
Chris Bernett, who fought for years and
was a champion in this fight and helped
build the foundation of the Baltimore
City Human Trafficking Collaborative.
Councilman Bernett's vision brought
together government agencies, law
enforcement, advocates, and service
providers under one roof, working in
partnership rather than in isolation.
Today, as chair of the collaborative, I
am proud to continue elevating this
important work to protect survivors and
hold traffickers accountable. This
hearing will invite testimony from our
partners, including the state's
attorney's office, the Baltimore Police
Department, Fire Department, school
police, sheriff's department, the FBI,
Homeland Security and Investigations,
Maryland State Police, and service
providers alike. Together we will help
if they will help us understand the
current landscape, how cases are being
identified and investigated, how
prosecutions are proceeding, what
prevention strategies are working, and
what supports are available and or still
lacking for survivors. Baltimore has a
responsibility to ensure that every
survivor of human trafficking receives
the protection, care, and justice they
deserve. Though this hearing through
this hearing, we will reaffirm our
commitment to end human trafficking in
all of its forms, ensuring that every
agency and partner in this city is
working together to make it happen. I
look forward to the discussion and to
continuing to strengthen Baltimore's
leadership in combating human
trafficking, a legacy built on
collaboration, compassion, and action.
» Thank you, Council Member Porter. This
resolution has been assigned to the
public safety committee. The consent
calendar was sent to members inboxes in
the desk documents folder. Is there a
motion to approve the consent calendar?
» All those in favor of approving the
consent calendar say I.
» Those oppos say nay. The motion carries
and the consent calendar is approved. We
now move two bills and executive
appointments on second reader. Chair
recognizes council member Dorsy.
» Thank you, Mr. President. I move that we
read short titles for the remainder of
the meeting this evening.
» Without objection, we will proceed with
reading short titles.
We will proceed with reading short
titles. We begin with an executive
nomination from the committee on
legislative investigations. Madame
clerk,
» EA25-000039
Catalina Rodriguez Lima, director,
mayor's office of immigrant affairs.
» Chair recognizes Chair Schlifer.
» Thank you, Mr. President. Um, we held a
hearing on Thursday, October 16th, and
the committee recommends a favorable
nomination.
Thank you, Chairman Schlifer. Is there
any debate or discussion on this
nomination?
Hearing seeing none, all those in favor
of confirming this nominee say I.
» I.
» Those opposed say nay. This nomination
is confirmed. We now move to bills from
the housing and economic development
committee on second reader. Madame
clerk,
» City council bill 25-0063,
zoning administrator transfer to the
department of planning.
» Chair recognizes chair Torrance.
» Thank you, Mr. President. Bill 2563,
zoning administrator transfer to
department of planning, sponsored by
Vice President Milit. This bill was
heard on September 30th. It was
recommended with favorable with
amendments. Mr. President, um there were
committee amendments on my colleague's
desk. The amendments require that the
civil service commission to give the
council reasonable notice if the zoning
administrator was to be reclassified out
of the out of civil service. Mr.
President, I offer this amendment
because of two things. One is that the
zoning administrator position is very
important to this council, but also I I
wholeheartedly believe in the practices
of zoning in this in this city have been
discriminatory to people of color. So
for the one person who gets to offer an
opinion about zoning in this city, I
just want to make sure that this council
is given adequate notice when they are
put into an atwell position. This
position is civil service currently and
we know politics can happen and I just
want to make sure that person is
protected and that this council puts
that protection in place. With that
being said, I move the amendment. Mr.
President, thank you. Council member
Torrance, is there any debate or
discussion on these amendments?
hearing and seeing none. All those in
favor of adopting the amendment say I.
» I.
» Those opposed say nay. The motion
carries and the amendments are adopted.
Chair recognizes Chair Torrance.
» Mr. President, I move the bill as
amended.
» Is there any debate or discussion on
this bill?
Hearing and seeing none, all those in
favor of approving this bill say I.
» I. Those opposed say nay. This bill will
be printed for third reading. We now
move to bills from land use and
transportation committee on second
reader. Madame clerk,
» City council bill 25-0040,
zoning uses retail small box
establishment.
» Chair recognizes chair Dorsy.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The land use
and transportation committee heard this
bill on October 16th. It was re
recommended as favorable with
amendments. Mr. President, there are
committee amendments uh in with the desk
documents.
The first amendment therefore clarifies
the purpose statement and the
authorizing legislation.
Uh amendment two clarifies the type of
goods sold at small box store. Amendment
three clarifies terms in the bill such
as store and fuel station. And amendment
four strikes the section on
nonconforming uses. It is my
understanding that all these amendments
came at the recommendation of the city
law department and uh better the bill.
Um in that respect, Mr. President, I
move the amendments.
» Before we vote, is there any debate or
discussion on the committee amendments?
Hearing and seeing none, all those in
favor of adopting the amendments say I.
» I.
» Those opposed say nay. The motion
passes. The amendments the amendments
are adopted.
» Mr. Mr. President, I move the bill
favorably as amended.
» Is there any debate or discussion on
this bill?
Hearing and seeing none, all those in
favor of approving this bill say I.
» I.
» I. Let's
» Try that again. All those in favor of
approving this bill say I.
» I.
» Those opposed say nay.
» This bill will be printed for third
reading. Please note council member
Schlifer as a nay.
City Council Bill 25-0064
zoning bulk and yard requirements
amendments.
» The chair recognizes Chair Dorsy.
» Thank you, Mr. President. This bill was
heard on October 16th. It was
recommended as favorable with amendment.
Mr. President, there are amendments on
my colleagues desks.
The first amendment from uh Council
Member Gray, the sponsor of the bill,
which I can I'll also note was done in
collaboration with Councilman Parker.
Thank you for your contribution. Um
requires that buildings taller than 35
ft up to 45 ft either adjoin a street
right ofway that is at least 40 feet
wide in the case of an interior lot or
before or for corner lots each of each
of the adjoining streets must be 40t
wide. This is an increase from the
existing standard uh that's comparable
that says 30 ft uh presently. Um
amendment two from council member
Middleton uh strikes vice president from
the list of co-sponsors. Amendment three
from the planning department are
technical to correct typos in a table.
Amendment four from Councilman Parker
uh would increase the minimum rear yard
in the R8 zoning district from 12 ft as
proposed to 16 ft uh with the amendment.
And amendment five from me would update
the minimum lot area for age restricted
multif family dwellings to be comparable
with other multif family dwelling use.
and amendment six from the zoning board
are additional technical amendments to
fix typos in the bill. Mr. President, I
move all of the committee amendments.
» Before we vote, is there any debate or
discussion on the committee amendments?
I see council member Schlifer.
Uh, President, can we just get some
clarity on this 40t wide street thing
because everything else this this
council has been proposing has been
about um making streets thinner and you
know and different uses stuff. So, the
fact that the streets got to be 40t
wide, can we just get some clarity and
explanation as to why um that would be
required?
» Yes,
» Council member Dorsy.
» Yes, thank you. Um the zoning code today
says that you can exceed the standard of
35 ft in building height to go up to 45
ft
if the the the the house is on a street
that is 30 feet or greater in width. And
what this does actually says is that
some streets um are very small uh but
may have just 30 feet but would have
kind of an inappropriate kind of
character to them if the houses were
exceptionally tall. Um, and so it act so
it changes the standard so that you
can't go to that 45 ft height unless the
street in front of it is at least 40 ft
wide rather than being limited uh being
permissive at only 30 ft. Does that help
me? Sorry.
» Great. Uh, other discussion debate
hearing and seeing none. All those in
favor of adopting the amendment say I.
» I.
» Those opposed say nay.
» Uh I hear nays from council member
Schlifer and Glover. Uh this bill uh
this motion passes and the amendments
are adopted.
» Mr. President, I move the bill favorable
as amended.
» Is there any debate or discussion on
this bill?
Council member Conway.
Thank you, uh, Mr. President. Um, I, you
know, I I've been trying to look at this
bill and I appreciate the intention of
the sponsor. Um, but I have, um, some
concerns about the impact that the bill
would have across the city. Um, I
understand we want to, uh, build more
housing and expand more housing. I don't
think that this necessarily does that.
It expands housing in areas where we
certainly want to see more people, but
um I think if we want to bring more
people into the city, we need to working
we need to work in the areas where we
don't currently have development. Um I
think what we'll find is as people begin
to make changes on their homes over
time, uh it's going to cause
inconveniences and challenges for folks
in those neighborhoods from a viewhed,
from a uh from a shadow perspective,
from a convenience perspective in in
many neighborhoods across the city. Um
and I think one of the other major
considerations here is that while this
this effort um is written across the
city, it won't affect all neighborhoods
the same way. Uh we know that um
neighborhoods that have covenants um are
able to prevent this from moving forward
in the in those respective
neighborhoods. So it just doesn't it
doesn't quite do um all the things we
want it to do and I think it may cause
some complications uh if we move forward
with it. This is a sweeping effort
across the entire city that has many
many ramifications and for that reason
um I have deep uh concerns about moving
forward on the bill. Thank you.
» Thank you, Councilman Conway.
» Other debate discussion. Councilman
Torrance.
» Well, Mr. President, I wouldn't believe
I would be agreeing with Councilman
Conway tonight,
but I I get the thought, the intent. I
appreciate the the councilman's
introduction of the bill. Um
I I work for people in West Baltimore
and I love Paris and I'm just be
transparent. But tonight I have to vote
on behalf of my residents. So I will be
voting no. Mr. President,
» Thank you Council Member Torrance.
Hearing and seeing no further debate.
All those in favor of approving this
bill say I.
» I. Those opposed say nay.
» Uh, roll call.
» Parker.
» McCrae.
» Please.
» You're right. Apologies, Council Member
McCrae. We're going to ask
» No problem. If we could register my vote
as a no.
» Yep.
» Thank you.
» And please return to Council Member
McCrae after we get done with the vote.
» Dorsy. Yes.
» Conway.
» No
» Schifer.
» No
» Torrance.
» No
» Gray.
» Hi
» Bo.
» Hi
» Porter.
» Hi
» Blanchard.
» Hi
» Jones.
» Hi
» Glover.
» No
» Ramos. Yes,
» Cohen.
» I
» That is eight in the
» Eight in the affirmative and one, two,
three, four in the negative. I return to
council member McCrae to explain her
vote and this bill will pass.
» Uh, sorry, five in the negative. I think
eight.
» Eight in the affirmative.
» One more time.
» Nine.
» Yeah. Just call.
» All right. Nine in the affirmative. The
bill passed. Nine in the affirmative. Uh
four in the negative.
» Cool.
» One, two.
» Math was not my strong suit. Chammoya re
recount real quick. Parker,
» Hi.
» McCrae,
» Yes.
» Dorsy,
» Yes.
» Conway,
» No.
» Schlifer,
» No.
» Middleton is absent. Torrance,
» No.
» Gray,
» Hi.
» Balok,
» Hi.
» Porter,
» Hi.
» Blanchard,
» Hi.
» Jones,
» Hi.
» Glover,
» No.
» Ramos,
» Yes.
» Cohen,
» I.
» All right, that is five in the negative.
And one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine in the affirmative.
Nine in the affirmative, five in the
negative. This bill passes. Council
member McCrae.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'm going be
brief, everybody. I just want to make
sure that I'm on the record. Um, for my
district, I I voted no on this bill
because I believe um there are
environmental impacts from increasing
lot sizes and there were community
concerns within my district. Um,
every community um has their own
culture. Every community is unique and I
think that we need to um make sure that
we're also paying attention to that.
Thank you, Mr. President.
» Thank you, Council Member McCrae.
» City Council Bill 25-0065,
zoning eliminating off- streetet parking
requirements.
» Chair recognizes Chair Dorsy.
» Thank you, Mr. President. This bill was
heard on October 16th. It was
recommended as favorable with an
amendment.
The amendment is included in the desk
documents. My colleagues, the amendment
uh brought by the sponsor of the bill,
Councilman Blanchard, clarifies
exceptions to the parking maximums in
the cases of detached or semi- detached
dwellings where no maximum allowable
amount of parking exists or a structure
or land that has changed to a new use uh
which can exceed the permitted maximum
if the prior use had a higher maximum.
It also clarifies that the ordinance
does not apply to off- streetet parking
facilities as a part of the parking
maximum. Um just as a refresher, the
bill um recognizes that today there are
there is a table listing out um
numerically, mathematically
uh by formulas the the parking minimum
that is required and there is a
provision in the zoning code that uh in
the text of the code that says that
there are parking maximums that exist
today throughout the city. And um the
while t but that it is twice that
parking minimum um that is in the code
in the table uh rather. And so the bill
carries forth the existing parking
maximum today. uh it just maintains that
status quo and these amendments make
sure that if there are properties that
were built before say those parking
maximums ever existed that those
properties can continue to exceed the
parking maximum uh even if those
properties change hands or change uses
that existing parking maximum can remain
it doesn't have somebody doesn't have to
take away parking spaces just because a
property changed owners or occupants uh
so with that uh Mr. President, I move
the amendment as favorable.
» Before we vote on this amendment, is
there any debate or discussion?
» Hearing and seeing none, all those in
favor of approving this amendment say I.
» I.
» Those opposed say nay.
» Roll call.
» Parker,
» Yes.
» McCrae,
» No. Dorsy,
» Yes.
» Conway,
» Hi.
» Schlifer,
» No.
» Middleton is absent. Torrance,
» No.
» Gray,
» Hi.
» Bullock,
» Hi.
» Porter,
» No.
» Blanchard,
» Hi.
» Jones,
» Hi.
» Glover,
» No.
» Ramos,
» Yes.
» Cohen,
» I.
» Nine in the affirmative, five in the
negative.
» With nine in the affirmative and five in
the negative, this amendment passes. Uh,
Council Member Dorsy.
At this time, I move the bill favorable
as amended.
» President
uh I believe there is a floor amendment.
Councilman Torrance.
» Thank you, Mr. President. As a person
who firmly believes in representing my
community, I must offer these
amendments. While I respect the author
of the of the actual bill's intent,
as a person who represents a black
butterfly, it is absolutely a no for me.
Um the amendments that I offer tonight
will put where everyone has been saying
to muster. This bill has no writing
about affordable housing. So amendment
number one will require that if you want
to have the parking
minimums removed,
you actually have to have 60% AMI.
I'm very strong about that. but also
allows us to exempt clinics as well as
residential care facilities as well as
the Black Arts and Entertainment
District. I author this amendment
because I have someone who's using a
predatory business on Pennsylvania
Avenue who has a methodone clinic who
says if this bill passes, he can open up
two more facilities in my district.
Too far have black people been given
things and given things and given things
because of zoning does not have a
racially
progressive stance in terms of
identifying that my brown skin matters,
my property value matters.
So, Mr. President, I offer amendment
number one for that reason. In addition
to that, for my residents who live in
Bolton Hill and other neighborhoods who
are dealing with curb congestion, it
gives us an opportunity for parking
authority to say that we've seen curb
congestion. We may actually have to add
a parking garage in a neighborhood to
actually remove those minimums and those
maximums to address the needs in those
individual communities. I think that
this is the easiest way to address the
bill without harming uned consequences
for black and brown neighborhoods. So
with that, Mr. President, I move
amendment number one.
» Thank you, Council Member Torrance.
Before we vote, is there any debate or
discussion on the floor amendment? I see
Council Member Parker.
» Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, thank you,
Councilman Torrance, for bringing this
before us. I just had a question. I know
um amendment one has a lot of different
pieces to it. Would you be so good only
because uh I work really closely with
arts and entertainment districts. would
you explain um the um uh just spell out
the 1 per 10 person fiber couch. Just
break that down for us. I want to make
sure I understand what you're proposing
there um in terms of what the
requirement would be for um public
assembly related uh items.
» Chair recognize Councilman Torren.
» Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you,
Councilman Parker. So right now as we're
building more entertainment space on
Pennsylvania Avenue, we have adequate
parking um because of we have the
minimums of 10. Right. As we're thinking
about it, I've had two methodone clinics
open up in the district. One at the Bank
of America and they have the other at a
former actual pharmacy because of the
zoning requirements. They're exempt
because they have no parking minimums
because of what they are because their
classification. This bill will open up
the the floodgates to increase the
number of actual facilities on the on
the Black Arts and Entertainment
District. I do not want to wake up after
we've made a concerted effort to add
black voices and black artists and
actual space in our district to actually
be exasperated and destroyed by the
intent of persons willing to make
millions of dollars off of an epidemic
that we're trying to solve today.
» Thank you, Council Member Torrance. Any
further debate or discussion on the
floor amendments?
Hearing and seeing none, all those in
favor of approving the floor amendments
say I.
» Roll call.
» Parker,
» McCrae,
» Yes.
» Dorsy,
» No.
» Conway,
» No.
» Schlifer,
» Yes.
» Middleton is absent. Torrance,
» Yes.
» Gray,
» No.
» Bullock,
» No.
» Porter,
» Yes. Blanchard,
» No.
» Jones,
» No.
» Glover,
» Yes.
» Ramos,
» No.
» Cohen,
» No.
» That would be 925
» With five in the affirmative and nine in
the negative. These floor amendments do
not move. Chair recognizes Chair Dorsy.
» Thank you, Mr. President. I move the
bill favorable as amended.
» Is there any further debate or
discussion on this bill as amended?
Council member Conway.
» Uh thank you, Mr. President. Um this
this too I think is a a really
interesting bill. I I actually do like
the idea here. Um I think um in efforts
where we are doing sweeping change
across the whole city. We have to be
very very very thoughtful and careful.
Um I I I I fear that um we're going to
find ourselves in sticky situations in
different neighborhoods depending on
what's going on in those respective
neighborhoods. Um, and I think there's a
way to do this. I think, um, there's a
bit of the cart before the horse or cart
and the horse working together, and that
is transit. Um, if we don't have
sufficient transit and we pull away
parking in certain neighborhoods, you're
going to have people having to walk
multiple blocks to get home. Um, and
some of those neighborhoods, maybe they
don't feel totally safe doing so or
maybe those folks are not capable of
doing so because of their age or other
um, infirmities. So, I I I think um
yeah, in in order to do this the right
way, I think we need to be also talking
about a way to uh improve transit, make
it more reliable, make it more robust,
make it come into some of these uh
middle neighborhoods and black
neighborhoods that don't have robust and
reliable transit today. Um that looks
like doing some of the, you know, the
red line. It looks like having a north
south line um that you know we did a big
study um going through my district
through um Councilwoman Ramos's district
as well um that has now stalled um I
think we need to find a way to fund
these efforts and generally we find
these these fundings through state state
dollars and we just had the road show
where um this council advocated heavily
for that but we know that our state is
is really struggling fiscally right now
so they don't really have the means. Uh,
and the other way we do this is we go to
the federal government and we rely on
big big federal dollars in order to see
this through, but we know that that is
not going to happen anytime soon. So, I
I'm I'm I'm uncomfortable um uh going a
full yes on this. Um I do have
reservations on the bill, but I do like
the idea and and really thank the
sponsor for um one bringing it forward
and and advocating very heavily for it,
but I do have some concerns about it and
it is something that I think we can work
towards resolving. Um but that that's
sort of where I stand right now.
» Understood. Uh, Councilman Torrance.
» Thank you, Mr. Thank you, Mr. President.
I want to read this statement because I
want to make clear my true thoughts in
the entire package. Baltimore's housing
history is inseparable from the history
of structural racism in America. From
red lining to racially restricted
covenants to decades of disinvestment,
our city's built environment was
designed to separate opportunity for
black and brown families, concentrate
poverty in certain neighborhoods. So we
walk up we talk about modernizing our
zoning and expanding our housing
choices. We must ask deeper questions.
Who will this policy truly benefit and
who will leave it behind?
The housing options and opportunity act
and its companion reforms promise to
expand its supply but without
guardrails. These changes risk doing
unintended consequences and harm
particularly to black and brown
communities
that have already endured decades of
inequitable land use and concentrated
burden. This is why I introduced my
floor amendments to make this bill more
equitable but also accountable to our
residents.
Together, these amendments sought to
balance encouraging flexibility while
protecting communities from unintended
consequences and deregulation.
Unfortunately, they were not adopted.
Without these safeguards, this risk
deepening inequities. By repealing key
protections, it opens the door for
unattended and predatory land uses such
as poorly managed recovery homes,
substandard care facilities, and other
nuisance operations to cluster in black
and brown neighborhoods already
struggling to recover from decades of
disinvestment. We've seen the story
before. In Harlem, re redevelopment and
upzoning without adequate protections
led to cultural displacement, erasing
the very community that gave
neighborhoods its identity and
resilience.
In Washington DC, rapid development and
resoning spurred the exodus of black
families
and even new luxury apartments rose in
their place.
In bed sty marketdriven housing growth
without anti-displacement safeguards
resulted in longtime residents being
displaced and not supported.
Simply supply does not mean that black
people will be around.
Baltimore cannot afford to repeat those
mistakes. Equity requires intention.
Policy ignores historic harms only
reproduce in new forms that harm.
Ending structural racism requires more
than just raceneutral force. It demands
the surgical precision of a scapold
guided by equity.
When these bills were introduced in this
council, a staff person made a comment
that these were thinking about those to
come and not those who are here.
Let me repeat for those to come and not
those who are here. To my residents in
Sant Winchester, I rise and I say this.
We want to own land. We no longer want
to rent it. to our residents who have,
and I mean the black women in West
Baltimore, who've held up this tax base
when white people left.
» They want to enjoy the equity that we're
building in the city, but not be
displaced by high taxes or displaced by
inconsistent policies that don't see
them. Our residents deserve, and I mean
our residents, the 66% of the black
people in this city need to be put at
the forefront of every policy we put
before this council. Red lining started
in this community and we're just
furthering it. And I say that
wholeheartedly as someone who's seen
family members displaced in DC,
who's seen people displaced in Bedstey.
The home ownership rate for black people
fell from 71% to 44% in 10 years in
Bedstey, New York.
In the District Columbia, it is no
longer chocolate city. We displaced
black people. It's to the point where
our neighbors in DC who I love, one of
my friends serves in that council, they
had to force people to take section 8
vouchers for people who are making
$80,000 a year. Supply does not mean
that the affordability will be there. We
have no guardrails in place.
So when black people leave the city, I
want to make sure in this council record
that I told you so.
And if you want to make sure they stay
here, put them at the forefront. Not
give us lip service and say
affordability. Affordability is writing
it in the law.
For these reason, despite my good faith
effort to strengthen and balance this
legislation, I will be voting no. We
need zoning that is not just flexible,
but fair. investment that is not just
new, but just in legislation that
censors voices and rights of residents
who built and sustained our
neighborhoods.
Black and brown families whose
generations of care deserve protection,
not more harmful disgrace and disguise
as progress.
Thank you, Council Member Torrance. Any
further debate or discussion on this
bill?
Hearing and seeing none. All those in
favor say I.
» I.
» Those opposed say nay.
» Roll call.
» Parker,
» Yes.
» McCrae,
» Dorsy,
» Yes.
» Conway,
» No.
» Schlifer,
» No.
» Middleton is absent. Torrance,
» No.
» Gray,
» Yes.
» Bullock,
» Hi.
» Porter,
» No.
» Blanchard,
» Hi. Jones,
» Hi.
» Glover,
» No.
» Ramos,
» Yes.
» Cohen,
» Yes.
» Great. That would be 826.
» With eight in the affirmative and six in
the negative, this bill, this uh bill is
will move to third reader. Chair
recognizes council member
» Chair Dorsy.
» Oh, I'm sorry. Whoops. Back to the
clerk. City Council Bill 25-0.
» Oh, I'm sorry. Apologies. Council McCrae
to explain her vote.
» I appreciate you. I'm going to be brief
again. I just want to make sure that I'm
explaining my vote for the record for my
own constituents. I voted no because of
the day-to-day burdens that this is
going to place on my residents, not just
my residents, but also other
neighborhoods across this city um who
are within middle neighborhoods that I
speak about often.
How just to Councilman um Torrance's
point, how are we going to um continue
to retain our legacy residents? Um many
who are black, they are the ones that I
am losing within my district.
And that's what I'm thinking about every
time we have to um vote on bills like
these. Um thank you, Mr. President.
» Thank you, Chair McCrae.
City Council Bill 25-000082
planned unit development amendment under
Armor Headquarters.
» Chair recognizes Chair Dorsy.
» Thank you, Mr. President.
This bill was heard on October 16th. It
was recommended as favorable with an
amendment. The amendment
two amendments. The amendments are uh on
my colleagues desk. They're documents.
The first amendment clarifies and
renumbers section one of the purpose
statement to clarify that the mayor and
city council approve the amendment
uh to the PUD. Amendment two clarifies
the area where vehicular access will be
prohibited in the PUD. There's a element
of it that basically says on this map in
this area um the development can't
create vehicle access to the property at
this spot here. Um and these uh
amendments come through a collaborative
effort u between of the bill, Councilman
Blanchard, the repres
uh the property owner and the uh Locust
Point neighbors who are around it. Uh
with that, Mr. President, I move the
amendments uh favorable.
» All those in favor of adopting the
amendments say I.
» I.
» Those opposed say nay. The amendments
are adopted.
» Mr. President, there are findings of
fact on my colleagueu's desk. I move the
findings of fact.
» Uh any debate or discussion on finding
of facts? Hearing and seeing none. All
those in favor of approving the finding
of facts say I.
» I.
» Those post say nay. The finding of facts
are adopted.
» Mr. President, I move the bill favorable
as amended.
» Before we vote, is there any debate or
discussion on this bill as amended?
Councilman Parker.
» Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, and thank you,
Council President Blanchard, for
bringing this forward. Um, we had a good
conversation twice actually over in the
in our committee about the matter. I
think the one thing I just want to lift
up here, and it partly is because I it
came up in conversation with the uh
prospective planning director earlier
today. uh just the the reality of uh
we've spent a lot of time here talking
about the movement of young people to
schools public or otherwise uh in the
city. Uh Krista Ray in particular uh
serves a community of folks that are
heavily dependent upon public transit,
many of whom live in my district as well
as council person Glover and council
person uh Jones's district. Uh and the
current site is relatively convenient
for them to get to um both by bus and by
walk and biking. Uh Locust Point being
on the peninsula is is a hard place to
reach. uh but we do have a particular uh
uh tool to do that being a harbor
circulator and so just want to lift up
for this council's consideration and and
for the administration's consideration
that um as we uh see the relocation of
this high school there and as we're
attentive to the movement of of all of
our students to their their schools that
uh further investment and consideration
of using that resource to help
facilitate uh transportation there to
Hull Street Pier uh would be uh would be
a good thing uh to make sure our young
people can get to school on time and
effectively.
Thank you.
» Duly noted. Thank you, Councilman
Parker. Any further discussion or
debate? Hearing and seeing none. All
those in favor of this of approving this
bill say I.
» I.
» All those opposed say nay.
This bill will be printed for third
reading. We now move on to bills on
third reader. Madame clerk, please read
the bill and call the role. City Council
Bill 25-000018
emergency scene unauthorized persons
prohibited Parker McCrae Dorsy Conway
Schlifer Middleton Torrance Gray Bullock
Porter Blanchard Jones Glover Ramos
Cohen
» This bill is approved
» City council bill 25-0062
building code single exit from
residential occupancy Parker McCrae
Dorsy Conway Schlifer Middleton Torrance
Gray Bullock Porter Blanchard Jones
Glover Ramos Cohen
» This bill is approved
» City council Bill 25-0072
zoning conditional use conversion of
single family dwelling units to two
dwelling units each in the R8 zoning
district 1703 and 1709 Edmonson Avenue
Parker McCrae Dorsy Conway Schlifer
Middleton Torrance Grey Bullock Porter
Blanchard Jones Glover Ramos Cohen
» This bill is approved
» City council bill 25-0077
zoning conditional use conversion of a
single family dwelling unit in the R8
zoning district variances 541 Lafayette
Avenue Park and McCrae Dorsy Conway
Schlifer Middleton Torrance Grey Bullock
Porter Blanchard Jones Glover Ramos
Cohen
» This bill is approved. City Council Bill
25-000078,
City Streets closing portions of certain
streets and alleys bounded by Rigs
Avenue, North Pac Street, and the land
of National Railroad Passenger Company,
Amtrak, Parker, McCrae, Dorsy, Conway,
Schlifer, Middleton, Torrance, Grey,
Bullock, Porter, Blanchard, Jones,
Glover, Ramos, Cohen.
» This bill is approved.
» City Council bill 25-0079.
sale of property certain streets lying
within the area bounded by Rigs Avenue,
North Pacon Street, West Lafayette
Avenue, and the land of National
Railroad Passenger Corporation, Amtrak,
Parker, McCrae, Dorsy, Conway, Schlifer,
Middleton, Torrance, Gay, Bullock,
Porter, Blanchard, Jones, Glover, Ramos,
Cohen.
» This bill is approved.
» City Council bill 25-0083
RPA 30 exception 15 East West Street.
Parker, McCrae, Dorsy, Conway, Schlifer,
Middleton, Torrance, Gay, Bullock,
Porter, Blanchard, Jones, Glover, Ramos,
Cohen.
» This bill is approved.
» City Council bill 25-0084
city streets closing a 6-ft portion of
West Saratoga Street and an alley 10.67
ft wide bounded by Pearl Street, West
Saratoga Street, and North Green Street.
Parker, McCrae, Dorsy, Conway, Schlifer,
Middleton, Torrance, Grey, Block,
Porter, Blanchard, Jones, Glover, Ramos,
Cohen.
» This bill is approved. City Council Bill
25-000085
Sale of property section of West
Saratoga Street bounded by Pearl Street,
West Saratoga Street and North Green
Street. Parker, McCrae, Dorsy, Conway,
Schlifer, Middleton, Torrance, Gay,
Bullock, Porter, Blanchard, Jones,
Glover, Ramos, Cohen.
» This bill is approved.
» City Council bill 25-0086
City Streets closing a portion of North
Chapel Street. Parker, McCrae, Dorsy,
Conway, Schlifer, Middleton, Torrance,
Gay, Block, Porter, Blanchard, Jones,
Glover, Ramos, Cohen. This bill is
approved.
» City Council Bill 25-000092
zoning conditional use conversion to a
banquet hall in the C2 zoning district
variance 1123 West Baltimore Street
Parker McCrae Dorsy Conway Middleton
Torrance Grey Bulock Porter Blanchard
Jones Glover Ramos Cohen
» This bill is approved. And now committee
announcements. Chairs when you hear your
committee please proceed with your
committee announcements. Budget and
appropriations. Chair McCrae.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The Budget and
Appropriations Committee will hold a
hearing on Tuesday, November the 4th,
2025 at 9:00 a.m. in the Clarence D.
concerns council chambers on 25-0099
supplement supplementary municipal
telephone exchange fund operating
appropriation um municipal telephone
exchange service 133 telecommunications
for 1 million400,000
and Mr. President, I would like to move
to suspend rule 103 in order to announce
the hearing that we are scheduling less
than 30 days after its introduction to
the council.
» So move so moved. Uh
» Uh
» Without objection
hearing and seeing none, the rule will
be suspended.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The budget
appropriations committee will hold a
hearing on Tuesday, November the 4th,
2025 at 9:00 a.m. in the Clarence Dub
Burns Council Chambers on 25-0105
supplemental regional fund operating
appropriation Baltimore City Public
Schools 12,911,344.
Mr. President, I would like to move to
suspend rule 103 again in order to
announce a hearing that we are scheduled
in less than 30 days after its
introduction to the council.
» Without objection, the rule will be
suspended. hearing and seeing no
objection, the rule will be suspended.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The budget
appropriations committee will also hold
a hearing on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
at 9:00 a.m. in the Clarence Dub Burns
council chambers on 25-06
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation fire department $38
million 38,520,93.
And Mr. President, I would like to move
to suspend rule 103 again in order to
announce the hearing that we are
scheduled in less than 30 days after its
introduction to the council.
» Without objection, the rule will be
suspended.
The rule will be suspended.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The budget and
appropriations committee will hold a
hearing on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
at 9:00 a.m. in the Clarence Dub Burns
Council Chambers on 25-0107
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation department of law 81,393.
Mr. President, again, I would like to
move to suspend rule 103 in order to
announce a hearing that we are
scheduled.
» Without objection, the rule will be
suspended.
Hearing and seeing no objection, the
rule will be suspended.
Thank you, Mr. President. The Budget
Appropriations Committee will hold a
hearing on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
at 9:00 a.m. in the Clarence Burns
Council's Chamber on 25-0108
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation liquor license board
454,415.
Mr. President, again, I would like to
move to suspend rule 103 in order to
announce the hearing that we are
scheduled in less than 30 days after its
introduction to the council.
» Without objection, the rule will be
suspended. The rule will be suspended.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The budget and
appropriations committee will hold a
hearing on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
at 9:00 a.m. in a clearance to Burns
Council Chambers on 25-0109
supplementary grant funding, excuse me,
grant fund operating appropriation,
Mayor's Office of Employment
Development, $300,000. Mr. President,
again, I would like to suspend rule 103
in order to announce a hearing that we
are scheduled in less than 30 days after
this introduction to the council.
» Without objection, the rule will be
suspended.
The rule will be suspended.
» Thanks again, Mr. President. The budget
and appropriations committee will hold a
hearing on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025,
9:00 a.m. in a Clarence to Burns
Council's chamber on 25-0110
supplementary general fund operating
appropriation police department
47,492,889.
Mr. President, I would like to move to
suspend rule 103 again in order to
announce a hearing that we are scheduled
in less than 30 days after this
introduction to the council.
» Without objection, the rule will be
suspended. The rule will be suspended.
» Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. The
Budget Appropriations Committee will
hold a hearing on Tuesday, November 4th,
2025 at 9:00 a.m. in a clearance to
Burns Council Chamber on 25-011.
[Music]
» Okay. on 25-0111
supplementary general fund operating and
appropriation department of recreation
and parks 5,630,976.
Mr. President, I would like to move to
suspend rule 103 again in order to
announce a hearing that we are scheduled
in less than 30 days after its
introduction to the council.
» Without objection, the rule will be
suspended. The rule will be suspended.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The budget
appropriations committee will hold a
hearing on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
at 9:00 a.m. in the Clarence Suburn's
Council Chamber on 25-0012
supplementary general fund operating
operations sheriff's office 3,425,454.
Mr. President, I would like to move to
suspend rule 103 again in order to
announce a hearing that we are scheduled
in less than 30 days after this
introduction to the council.
» Without objection, the rule will be
suspended.
The rule will be suspended.
And last, um, the budget appropriations
committee will hold a hearing on
Tuesday, November 4th, 2025 at 9:00 a.m.
in the Clarence Dub Burns Council
Chamber on 25-0013
supplementary general fund operating
appropriations, Department of
Transportation, $4,457,580.
And Mr. President. Um, again, I would
like to suspend rule 103 in order to
just announce that hearing. It was
scheduled less than 30 days after this
introduction to the council.
» Without objection, the rule will be
suspended.
The rule is suspended.
» Thank you, Mr. President.
» Thank you, Madam Chair. Education,
Youth, and Older Adults. Chair Bullock.
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. The
Education, Youth, and Older Adults
Committee will be having a hearing for
bill number 250031R,formational
hearing for middle school sports at the
request of Council Member Zach
Blanchard. That will be on Thursday the
13th of November at 12:30 p.m. Please
note that hearing will be held at
Digital Harbor High School.
Also, um the education, youth, and old
adults committee will be having a
hearing in um December on the 11th on a
Thursday at 12 PM and that is uh for a
bill 2500,
children youth fund updates and that
will be at 12 p.m. here in council
chambers. Thank you.
» Thank you, Mr. Chair. Housing and
economic development chair Torrance.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The housing
economic development committee will be
meeting on November 4th for city council
bill 250088
tax property tax sale vacant lots and
vacant structures.
And then then on that same day we will
be meeting for 20 council bill 250080
in room foreclosure vacant structures
and nuisance properties. And these will
both be at 5:15 p.m. on November 4th.
Um, also I will be rescheduling LO250018
homeless services from um October 28th
to be rescheduled to Octo to November
4th at 5:15 p.m.
And then I will for the sake of everyone
not having to deal with council work
close to Christmas we'll be rescheduling
the accuracy of VBN's and non-ontiguous
tiff which is LO250027
from December 23rd till a later date cuz
you know I like to allow people to enjoy
their holiday. Um and that will be
announced at a later date. Mr.
President, thank you Chair Torrance.
Labor and Workforce Chair Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President.
» Uh, the Labor Workforce Committee has a
scheduling update for bill number
L2500035,
Baltimore City Works. This hearing was
originally scheduled for October 29th,
2025 at 5:30 p.m. and is now postponed
until further notice. Thank you, Mr.
President.
» Thank you, Chairman Jones. Land Use and
Transportation Chair Dorsy.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The Land Use
and Transportation Committee will
continue its oversight efforts,
returning to the topics of street
lighting, parking enforcement, and
community engagement, all on December
11th. I'm announcing this way out in
advance because we fully intend to give
the Department of Transportation every
opportunity to put their absolute best
foot forward and we will meet with them
in advance of this uh to be as to
continue as in as collaborative way as
possible. Uh again, that will be on
December 11th at 900 a.m.
Uh before we get to December 11th,
however,
the land use and transportation
committee will hear
council bill 250055,
zoning conditional use, parking lot
principal use variances, 7:01 Mura
Street at 9:00 a.m. On November 20th,
the committee will hear 250056
zoning conditional use parking lot
principal use variances 702 Mura Street,
November 20th, 9:00 a.m.
We'll hear council bill 250071,
zoning conditional use conversion of
single family dwelling unit to two
dwelling units in the R8 zoning
district. variances 15 East West Street.
At 9:00 a.m. on November 20th, we will
hear council bill 250090
zoning conditional use conversion of a
single family dwelling to two dwelling
units in the R seven zoning district
variance 220 North Culver Street at 9:00
a.m. on November 20th. We will hear
250091
[Music]
zoning conditional use conversion of a
single family dwelling to four dwelling
units in the R8 zoning district variance
1425 West Fet Street at 9:00 a.m.
November 20th.
We will hear
council bill 250066,
zoning, housing options and opportunity
at 9:00 a.m. on November 13th
and on November 20th following the
hearing of the five zoning bills that I
have just uh announced.
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you,
Chair Dorsy. Legislative Investigations
Chair Schlifer.
» Thank you, Mr. President. The
Legislative Investigations Committee
will hold a hearing on LO25-0037,
opioid epidemic response, on December
11th, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. This is in
response to uh the health commissioner's
nomination hearing where she said that
she will come back and present answers
to our questions uh from her uh from her
initial hearing uh in three months from
now. And so three months will be
December 11th um and we'll have that
follow-up hearing. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Chair Schlafer. Public Health
in the Environment Chair Porter.
» Thank you so much, Mr. President. The
Public Health and Environment Committee
will reconvene the hearing for the
following council resolutions on
Wednesday, December 3rd, beginning at
10:00 a.m. 25-0015R,formational
hearing, well-being of the transgender
community in Baltimore.
25-0020R,formational
hearing, well-being of gay men in
Baltimore. and 25- Z0021Rformational
hearing on the well-being of le lesbian
women in Baltimore and this is in
culmination for HIV awareness month for
December.
» Thank you, Chair Porter. Public safety
chair Conway.
» No announcements.
» No announcements. Finally, I would like
to announce the creation of a charter
review special committee chaired by
Councilman Dorsy. Members can find more
info on the printed documents on each of
your desks. Uh Mr. Chair, plea, please
proceed with your announcements for this
new committee.
» Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, first I
just want to say uh it's a real honor to
get the opportunity to chair this
committee uh and to work with my
colleagues on uh matters pertaining to
the charter, our foundational document.
Um, I am uh
frequently having to reference the
charter in the cho in the course of
doing the work that I've had the
privilege to do here for now two full
terms and now into my third term. And uh
I think it's really important that the
city council take very seriously matters
pertaining to the charter and to look at
it in a comprehensive manner. Uh so I
want to thank you Mr. President for
creating this committee and for giving
me the opportunity and the honor of
chairing this committee. Um, also
looking forward to the work uh with my
vice chair, Councilman Bullock, and the
other members of the committee. Um,
this committee will be for the purpose
of considering proposals to revise the
city charter and to recommend ultimately
bills, multiple bills to uh revise the
city charter to the full city council.
Um, I want to announce kind of a bunch
of hearings. Um, these are all at the
time at this time falling under the
category of legislative oversight
LO250038.
Um, but I think at some point in the
course of going through this, we're
going to end up with some bills that we
want to consider and vote. So, some
additional hearings will have to be
called uh specifically as bill hearings
when those matters uh come uh to
introduction.
Um,
also before I do this, I'll just also
note that um I had an email scheduled to
go out to all the members here uh during
the meeting this evening. You all have
in your inbox um a document that was uh
sent to me by Hillary Roelly from the
law department that combi it's 200 some
pages. A lot of it is actually bills
that were drafted in the past. Um but uh
it is a fairly comprehensive uh uh uh
compilation of documents from many
charter review commissions that have
occurred over many decades in the city.
There is one document in particular in
there from Vic Turvala who's a former
city law department uh employee and who
is an expert not just on Baltimore
City's charter but on charters in the
state of Maryland in general and he
brings 30 years of experience advising
counties in the state of Maryland on how
to write and revise charters. There's a
12-page document in that packet, pages
17 through 29, written by Vic that gives
a wonderful and simple foundational
understanding of what is the charter and
what belongs in a charter and what
doesn't belong in a charter and how it
can be challenging to change a charter
when it has things already in it that
don't belong in it. I really strongly
encourage every member of the council to
to give a look over Vick's document in
that package that is attached to the
email in your inboxes. Um, with that,
uh, the charter review special committee
will hold its first hearing here in the
Duburn's chamber on November 5th, 2025
at 400 p.m. It will hold its second
hearing here on November 9th at 400 p.m.
It will hold third hearing December 3rd
at 5:30 p.m. It will hold a hearing
January 21st, 5:30 p.m. It will hold a
hearing on February 4th, 5:30 p.m. It'll
hold a hearing on February 18th.
I'm sorry, the second one. I said the
9th, I meant 19th. Um, there not n
November 9th. November 19th at 4 p.m.
Uh, where was I? January 21st, 5:30 p.m.
February 4th, 5:30 p.m. February 18th,
5:30 p.m. March 4th, 5:30 p.m. March
18th, 5:30 p.m. March 21st,
11 a.m. April 8th, 5:30 p.m.
Uh,
that's it. Thank you, Mr. President.
» Thank you, Council Member Dorsy. We now
move to regular announcements. Members,
please wait to be recognized to make any
regular announcements.
Uh, starting Councilman Bullock.
» Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll be brief.
Um, as most of you know, uh, this past
weekend was the Baltimore Running
Festival.
» I love running. I love doing the
festival every year. Um, but this was a
a pretty special one. I want to note,
um, at the start line, I saw uh, Council
Member Parker and he both we both ran
the half marathon. um saw each other up
until around mile 10 and he caught him
again at the at the finish line. It was
good to welcome him at the finish line
after you finished. I was
» No, I was just saying. Oh, so but no,
» Brandon Scott.
» No, no, no. He left. Anyway, but but
what I want to also say though is
running is also a metaphor for life. It
tells us a lot. And what I want to talk
about is also our colleagues I saw along
the way. So as I was getting through
after I come around mile 10 wound up
seeing council member Ramos and she's
cheering and that gave me a little bit
of energy and so start picking up a
little bit and as I pass Council Ramos
then I hear Bulock and it's Dorsy. It's
Council Member Dorsy and so he's on his
bike. He rides up besides me takes
what's now an iconic picture of running
through the city. But I say that to say
that it's important for us to support
each other as colleagues. That's right.
um to also uh celebrate each other as
colleagues, push each other along the
way. And I know over the past week um
there's been conversation around us
being colleagues, how we treat one
another, but I think this is an example
of what we can do um as a unit. So
again, I encourage that behavior. I'm
thankful for my colleagues and being out
there. It was a fun time. Those who
haven't done it, I encourage you to do
it sometime.
» Thank you, Council Member Bulock. Since
Council Member Parker was not here to
defend his honor, we uh we'll hear from
him later. Council member Torrance.
» Oh.
» Oh, yeah. You know what? You're
absolutely right. Uh, I believe Glover
came in second in the overall. Um, thank
you to Councilman Glover for his efforts
in the race.
Councilman Torren. Thank you, Mr.
President. Um, on a somber note, I want
to just lift up the name of Wes Henson,
captain defense, who is one of our super
fans for the Baltimore Ravens. Um, on a
personal note, he is the uncle of a
personal mentor of mine, Valerie Henson.
Um, Wes was a super fan, um, who would
cheer on the Ravens even when we were
fair weather fans sometimes and want to
fire people, you know, but cheerfully he
participated in so many events. Um,
often people saw him at the games, but
he was there when young people who were
experiencing hardship through cancer and
other diseases needed just a cheer me
up, but in addition to he went to senior
homes and other places to actually give
cheer. Um, he took it as his personal
role and I think that we should honor
him as his services will be tomorrow.
» Thank you. Councilman Torrance, could
you say his last name one more time?
» Wes Wes Henson.
» Henson.
Thank you, Council Member Ramos.
» Uh, thank you, Mr. President, and
colleagues. I just want to uh publicly
announce the uh task force on uh the
Citizen Street um transfer station. Uh
the task force meets this evening after
this meeting. Uh for the first meeting,
it will be an organizational meeting and
then further meetings will be announced
uh and we will have public testimony um
as well at at subsequent meetings. uh
and the membership. Um I'll be putting a
lot of the updates and things on our
website. So, and I know the mayor will
also be doing that um as well. And just
want to note that uh sort of
everything's on the table. We're not
just looking at one site. We're looking
at a lot of different sites. We may even
be looking at keeping it there. So, uh
at the again, we start tonight um right
after this this meeting on the first
meeting. Thank you.
» Thank you, Council Member Ramos,
Councilman Conway.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, for the
last 10 months or so, I've been uh a
part of this amazing group of people uh
in a in a program called the leadership.
Um, over the last couple years, a couple
of my colleagues have participated in
this wonderful pro program. Um, but I
think my my cohort did it best, the 2025
cohort. Um, and this this program is is
is awesome uh if only uh for a couple of
reasons. It pulls together leaders from
the private sector, the public sector,
from the nonprofit sector, uh, across
the city and puts them in a room and
talks about the hard issues facing the
city and how folks can work together to
understand those issues first and then
eventually tackle them. Um, I want to
take a moment for the folks that are
still here because it's been a long
meeting. Um, and I told them they would
get some fireworks. Uh, if you guys
could stand up, I want to acknowledge
you guys. Um, so this is the 2025 class
of the leadership. Appreciate you guys
coming out.
the the not the best class ever, but the
greatest class ever. We we we officially
dawn that. Um the leadership is um
accepting applications exactly two weeks
from today. Uh will be the deadline for
folks interested in the program. I
highly, highly, highly recommend it.
It's something I've considered for a
while and finally actually went through
the program this year. Um it's been
truly phenomenal. I've made some
incredible friends and I I really um
hate the prospect that we are about to
finish soon. Um it's incredible how much
we've gone through and how much we've
seen. Um I highly recommend for my
colleagues that have not gone through
the program to consider applying. You
have two weeks till today. Uh November
3rd at midnight is the deadline. Thank
you.
» Thank you, Councilman Conway. Thank you
to the leadership. Want to also
recognize Carolyn Blake Blakey who led
uh Council President Jack Young's staff.
Uh, thank you for rejoining this
chamber. It's good to see you. All
right, other announcements hearing and
seeing none, I will ask for a moment of
silence for Wes Henen.
Thank you. Tonight's district spotlight
comes from Council Member Bullock of the
9inth District. Council member, the
floor is yours.
Make sure that
right here.
All right.
» You have to elevate me again.
» Yeah.
» Okay. Well, elevate me.
Get it, man.
» Do you feel elevated?
» I don't feel elevated just yet.
All right.
» All right. That's great.
I go back to sleep.
» Don't y'all leave.
» We see you up there.
» I got to go.
Well, you'll like this one, Dorsey. But
» Hey, man, come on. You like this. You
like it. You like it.
[Music]
All right.
» Can we see now?
» All right. All right. All right. That's
good.
» Almost.
So if you were to stop sharing
the web
share, did you want to share your
second?
» It was showing up before.
» Yeah, it was
back to the webex because it should be
in that window. That's where I was.
» That's not There it is.
» We got
all right. There we go. All right. Thank
you.
All right, colleagues. I'll be I'll be
brief. There's a lot more here, but
let's just get it get it going. So, we
could talk about this district um all
day and all night. I will say um there
are a couple of um highlights that we
can uh recognize. I don't know why this
is um doing that. Let's do this.
Well, maybe I'll just cut to the
highlight. Do you want to do that?
» All right. Let's go ahead and do this
because this is not doing what I wanted
to do.
Is this the one here? I just want to
show a video.
Let me just try to get the best videos.
Sorry.
It should be this one here. The movie.
» Yeah. Okay. But I want to do this one.
» You want to do this one first?
» Yeah. I mean, there's a bunch of stuff
that I want to show these videos, but I
can't,
» Right? I don't know what's going on
because it was working earlier. So, you
» I mean, I have the person here that I
want to actually do. That's why I needed
it to to work. All right. How about
this? I will do I want to do floor
privileges today and then we'll come
back and do the the the showcase. Okay.
So, I'm going to show you I'm going to
show you something really quickly and
then I do want to I do need to show this
though. Okay. So, all right.
All right.
[Music]
» Sound should be working.
[Music]
Heat. Heat.
[Music]
Heat. Heat.
[Music]
Heat.
[Music]
Heat.
[Music]
Heat. Heat.
[Music]
Heat. Heat.
[Music]
Heat. Heat.
[Music]
Heat. Heat.
All
[Music]
right.
[Applause]
Now that was the end of the
presentation. So you'll get the rest
next time. But the reason why I wanted
to do that um there are a couple
reasons. one that is that that beautiful
sound that you heard was coming from no
other than Ramilia Sabanova who is
actually with us this evening
» And she is a worldrenowned uh pianist
classically trained also I was thinking
about Dorsy in terms of the Peabody
conservatory she's also spent time there
and she is also part of what you will
find out in the future around the Union
Square sore so square is one of our
fabulous neighborhoods in the 9th
district and she's been responsible for
helping to cultivate artists and that
experience
And it speaks to the diversity of our
district and of our city. And as we
welcome folks, whether you're from
Eastern Europe or you're from Latin
America or you're from Africa, there is
a place for you here in Baltimore. And
there's a place for you here in the
ninth district. And so, Mr. President, I
did want to uh extend floor privileges
if possible so we can honor Ramilia for
her contributions to music and art here
in Baltimore and in the ninth district.
» Floor privileges granted. Come on up.
[Applause]
So, I'll I'll read this um and make sure
we familiar gets it. But again, uh be it
hereby known the city council of
Baltimore resolution. Be hereby known to
all that the city council of Baltimore
offers a sincerest congratulations to
Ramilia Salavanova in recognition of
your artistic contribution to the Union
Square so this entire membership extends
his best wishes on this memorable
occasion and direct this resolution to
be presented on this 20th day of October
2025 signed by council president Zo and
myself council member John Bulock and
all the members of the council. We
really appreciate you.
Thank you so much. Hello everyone. Um,
I'm truly honored to receive this
recognition. For more than two decades,
I've dedicated my life to sharing
classical music, art, and culture with
communities around the world. and for
the past seven years here in Baltimore
and it's been a joy and privilege to
contribute to this city's vibrant
artistic life and on behalf of the Union
Square Sar as you mentioned it's a salon
concert series that we run in Union
Square I would like to say that uh we're
very grateful to be recognized because
we work very hard to support local
artists and young generation of artists
and we always strive to create a
beautiful and meaningful experience um
for our community. We're very thankful
to the city of Baltimore and John Balik
for their continued support. Thank you
so much.
» Thank you.
» All right, the next Thank you, Council
Member Bullock. Looking forward to
hearing part one of this two-part
series. The next regular meeting of the
Baltimore City Council will be held on
Monday, October 27th at 5:00 p.m. There
being no further business before this
body, this concludes the 16th regular
meeting of the 74th term of the
Baltimore City Council.